Athletics at Mariners
The Oakland Athletics finished their home schedule with a missed opportunity but hope to keep the heat on in the wild-card race when they begin a three-game series at the Seattle Mariners on Monday. The Athletics saw a four-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, finishing 50-31 at home.
The loss kept them 1 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the race for the first wild card but they have a magic number of just one for clinching the second spot and their first postseason berth since 2014. The Mariners were in striking distance in the race not too long ago but couldn't keep up with Oakland through the dog days. They completed their last road trip of the year with a 6-1 loss at Texas, recording six hits and going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position to finish 44-37 away from home. The Athletics will turn to Daniel Mengden in the series opener for his first start since June 23 while Seattle gives the ball to James Paxton, who has been sidelined with pneumonia.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS California (Oakland), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (7-6, 4.00 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (11-6, 3.83)
Mengden has made four extended relief appearances this month, going 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA. He limited the Los Angeles Angels to one run and two hits over four innings his last time out. The 25-year-old is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in three career matchups (two starts) with Seattle.
Paxton has been out since giving up four runs in six innings of a loss to the New York Yankees on Sept. 7. He is six strikeouts shy of reaching 200 for the first time in his career and a win short of matching his career high set last year. The University of Kentucky product struck out a career-high 16 in seven scoreless innings against Oakland on May 2.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano is 13-for-19 with seven RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
2. Athletics OF Stephen Piscotty was 8-for-19 with nine RBIs and nine runs scored during the team's six-game homestand.
3. Oakland is 4 1/2 games behind first-place Houston in the AL West.